Protective helmet suspension



March 12, 1957 Filed June 3, 1955 W. L. MOORE PROTECTIVE HELMETSUSPENSION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

WILL [1? L. MO0R March 12, 1957 W. L. MOORE PROTECTIVE HELMET SUSPENSIONFiled June 3, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. L. N 0/?! United StatesPatent PROTECTIVE HELMET SUSPENSION William L. Moore, Dayton, Ohio,assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof the Air Force Application June 3, 1955, Serial No. 513,174 2 Claims.(Cl. 2-3) (Granted under Title 35, U. Code (1952), sec. 266) Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for theUnited States Governmentfor' governmental purposes without payment to meof any royalty thereon. 1 a

The present invention relates to a protective helmet, and in particular,relates to a helmet for use by pilots of .jet aircraft to protect thehead from externally applied blows due to buffeting, wind blasts orcrashing.

The increasing speed of modern jet aircraft has resulted in anintensification of injuries caused by violent maneuvers, flight throughturbulent air, bail-outs and crashes. Head injuries are more susceptibleto fatal results since even relatively minor blows may result in a lossof consciousness or in mental confusion during a critical period of anaircraft maneuver. Protective helmets are a well known means forguarding against this danger. Obviously, they may be made as strong andprotective as desired but practical considerations of comfort andlightness oppose an unlimited development along this line. It is clear,therefore, that any means for increasing the protective qualities of ahelmet without sacrificing comfort or increasing weight would be veryuseful.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a comfortable lightprotective helmet with a plurality of shock absorbing elements disposedin a compact arrangement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a protective helmetwith spaced shock absorbing elements.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a protective helmetwhich transforms a heavy localized blow adjacent the top surface of thehelmet into a light pressure distributed uniformly over a substantialportion of the top surface of the head.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means forsecuring shock absorbing material to the helmet, said means having theadded function of ventilating the interior of the helmet.

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the front and top of the helmet with aportion cut away to show the arrangement of the shock absorbing elementsand the air space in the helmet.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the interior of the helmet showing theadjustable shock absorbing material which acts as a boundary for the airspace, and a base for the shock absorbing quadrant-shaped pads.

Fig. 3 is an interior view of the helmet showing the quadrant-shapedconcave pads that are in contact with the helmet wearers head.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the arrangement of the shockabsorbing material in the helmet.

Referring to Fig. 1, a helmet indicated generally at incloses an outershell 11 formed from a material which is sulficiently resilient toabsorb some impact energy from a blow, but is rigid enough to maintainits shape under normal circumstances. Royalite, a vinyl and rubberplastic made by the U. S. Rubber Company, has been 2, found suitableforthis purpose. Spaced from the interior surface of shell 11 and coveringthe top and upper side surfaces of the head is a continuous and integraladjustable sling 13 made from a resilient and somewhat elastic materialsuch as nylon web. The sling is secured to the shell by means of alacing cord 14, see Figs/land 2, which penetrates a plurality of lacingand ventilating apertures 22 'in shell 11. The sling is adjustable fordifferent head sizesby means of ropes or cords at 15 and 16, see Fig. 2.A head 17 made from a resilient shock absorbing material, is secured tothe edge of the shell.

The bead projects inwardly and outwardly of the shell.

The outwardly projecting portion 18, acting as a sort rubber, previouslyused in protective helmets, in that the air spaces in the body of thismaterial are not sealed from each other, permitting air to escape fromthem when subject to pressure. This results in a material that is .slowto deform under pressure and slow to regainits shape after the pressureis removed. This delay characteristic absorbs energy instead of storingit as in the case of foam rubber. Pads 20, mounted in the helmet andcovering the entire top and upper side surfaces of the head, are alsomade of Ensolite. The pads have an outer surface and a concave innersurface adapted to conform to the shape of the wearers head. As bestseen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the outer surfaces of the pads bear againstthe inner surface of sling 13 while only the peripheral portions of theinner surface of the pads bear against the inwardly projecting beadportion 19. This arrangement retains the pads in position in the helmet.The pads consist of four quadrant-shaped sections covering the top andside surfaces of the head permitting them to be separated in the helmetand providing means for adjusting the helmet to fit different headsizes. The air space 21, formed by the separation between sling 13 andthe inner surface 12 of shell 11, has several important functions. Inthe first place, it helps insulate the top of the head from hightemperatures applied to the outer surface of the helmet. In addition, itspaces the top of the head from indentations in the shell 12 caused byheavy blows to the top surface of the helmet.

In operation, energy from the force of a blow applied to the top surfaceof the helmet is partially absorbed in the shock absorbing material ofthe shell 11 and the balance of the energy is transmitted to the sling13 through connection 14. The sling is elastic permitting the force ofthe blow to drive the helmet downwardly with respect to the head,decreasing the volume of the air space 21. This movement absorbs energythrough the shock absorbing characteristics of the material comprisingthe sling and through forcing air in air space 21 out past the lacings14 which secures the periphery of the sling to the helmet. In addition,since the sling is formed from a continuous and integral piece ofmaterial and surrounds the top and upper side surface of the head, thisdownward movement of the helmet effectively transforms a heavy localizedblow adjacent the top surface of the helmet into a harmless pressureincrease which is transmitted substantially uniformly over a largeportion of the top surface of the head. The balance of the energy fromthe blow is transmitted from the sling to the shock absorbingquadrant-shaped pads to be further absorbed. Thus it is seen thatapplicant has produced a protective helmet which provides a compact andefficient means for transforming heavy localized blows on the topsurfaceof the helmet to a much weaker harmless pressure increase whichisdistributed uniformly over a large area of the top surface of the headThe inventionmay be embodied in other forms with; out departing from thespirit or essential characteristics thereof as set-forth in the claims,and the presenternbodiw ment is therefore to be considered asillustrative and not restrictiye,,and it is intended to includeallchanges which come within the scope andrange of the claims.

Iclaim:

1'. A helmet for protecting the wearers head comprising an outerresilient shell, an integral adjustable sling adapted to surround. thetop and upper 'side surfaces of the liead, said sling. formedasaniintegral, continuous andflexibly elastic piece, saidslingsecuredtothe shell andspaced from the innersurface-of thefltop ofvthe shell toprovideran air space, resilient inwardly and outwardly extending beadportions secured to the edge ofj'tlieshell, the outwardly extendingbead'portion acting asla bumpers to provide. additionalprotection to thesensitivefforeliead region, a plurality of resilient shocklabsorbingsp'adslad justably. and, remoyably positioned-on said" inwardly extendingbead portions whereby the pads are he'ldjin place inthe helmet,said'shock absorbingpads-havingan outer surface and a concave innersurfacefthe outer, surface of Saidpad'spositionedto bear against saidslings-aid concave, inner surface of said shock I absorbing pads adaptedto conform to the shape, ofthehelmet 'wea'rers head.

2; Ahelrnet for protecting the wearershead. comprising an. outerresiiientshell, an integral adjustable sling adapted to surround the topand upper side surface of the head, said sling-formed as an integral,continuous and flexibly elastic piece, a plurality of spaced lacing 5and ventilating apertures in the shell disposed around the side surfacesof the shell, cord means secured to said sling, said cord meanspenetrating said lacing and ventilating apertures to adjustably lacesaid sling to said shell, said sling spaced from the inner surface ofthe-top of the shell to provide an air space, resilient inwardly andoutwardly extending bead portions secured to the edge of the shell, theoutwardly extending bead portionlacting as a bumper to provideadditional protection for the sensitive forehead region, a plurality ofresilient'shock absorbing pads adjustably andremovably positioned onsaid inwardly extending bead portions whereby the pads are held in placein the helmet; said shock absorbing pads having an outer surface and aconcave inner surface, the entire outer surface of said padspositionedto bear against said sling, said'concave; inner, surfaceadapted to conform to the shape of the helmet wearer-s head,

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

